** Conservation issues enter 2020 races
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019
Grand Canyon National Park ([link removed])
Last month, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would establish protections for public lands in both Colorado and Arizona. One bill would ban new uranium mining next to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and another would create wilderness areas in Colorado. With Senate races in both states in 2020, campaigns are being pressured to take positions on these public lands protections ([link removed]) , which can mean breaking with party lines.
However, siding with public lands and conservation may prove critical in the coming election to win over Western voters.
According to the Center for Western Priorities' Winning the West poll ([link removed]) , 59 percent of Arizona voters oppose removing restrictions on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. And in Colorado, 65 percent of voters think we need to protect new deserving lands.
** An unfair share for taxpayers in Colorado
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A new report from Taxpayers for Common Sense ([link removed]) found that Colorado taxpayers lost out on more than half a billion dollars in oil and gas revenue during the last decade due to low federal oil and gas royalty rates. If federal onshore royalty rates (12.5%) matched offshore rates (18.75%), the state would have collected more than $600 million.
Quick hits
** Go West, Young Podcast: Elevating stories of groups who often aren’t reflected in the outdoors
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Center for Western Priorities ([link removed])
** At least 11 Interior Department officials cashed out for jobs with fossil fuel interests, lobbying firms
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HuffPost ([link removed])
** Colorado taxpayers losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars from low federal oil and gas royalty rates
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Denver Post ([link removed])
** Public lands protections becoming campaign issues in Colorado and Arizona Senate races
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Bloomberg ([link removed])
** BLM staff forced to relocate to new headquarters face salary cuts
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The Hill ([link removed])
** Arizona tribes oppose plan to dam Colorado River tributary
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Associated Press ([link removed])
** Opinion: Land and Water Conservation Fund is good for New Mexico businesses, so let's fund it
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Taos News ([link removed])
** Editorial: After decades of oil and gas negligence, Utah needs to get a grip
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Quote of the day
As suspected, when the governor and legislative leaders say that state environmental regulation is better, what they’re really saying is state regulation is less. In this case, less means more pits full of stinky, greasy wastewater in places God never intended."
—Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board ([link removed])
Picture this
We’re thankful for public lands, wonderful wildlife, terrific employees, bountiful resources & our amazing online community. Pic @YellowstoneNPS ([link removed]) #Wyoming ([link removed]) #FindYourPark ([link removed]) | @Interior ([link removed])
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